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[0:00] Thank you.

[0:30] Well, we're gathered here today to worship God and gathering with the family of the late Ken MacLeod from Melbost, who is a highly esteemed elder and servant of the Lord.

[0:44] But before we actually begin the worship, I have here a message from Reverend Ivor Martin, who, as you know, is in New Zealand at this time and is devastated that he cannot be here.

[0:55] So I'm going to read out just the message that Ivor has sent. He says,

[1:59] So we'll begin the worship singing to God's praise in Psalm 84.

[2:11] From the Scottish Psalter, Psalm 84. And we sing from verse 7 to the end.

[2:23] Psalm 84 from verse 7.

[2:55] These verses, Psalm 84, 7 to the end.

[3:16] So they from strength and weary go still forward unto strength. Psalm 84. And we sing from verse 7. For they from strength and weary go still forward unto strength.

[3:39] Amen. Until inside your day appear, before the Lord.

[3:54] Amen. Amen. Amen.

[4:55] Amen. Amen.

[5:55] Amen. Amen.

[6:28] Let us pray. Lord, our God, we give thanks for these words that we were singing about, and words reminding us of God's gracious dealings with us, of God preparing a place for his people, the God of grace and the God of glory.

[6:48] And where we see grace in its working here in this world, Lord, preparing us for the glory which in many ways is grace perfected.

[7:00] And we pray, Lord, that as we gather together, that we may have a sense of stillness, a sense of worship, a sense of praise, a sense of being aware that our God reigns, that he does according to his will with the armies of heaven and with the inhabitants of the earth.

[7:20] And none of us can, although we do, none of us can ultimately question what he does because he does all that he does well.

[7:32] There are times we really need faith, great faith, to be able to understand that and to lay hold upon it. But we pray that we might have the focus, that we might have the vision, the persuasion, that even in our circumstances today, in these mysterious experiences that we have experienced just now, that God is reigning, God is ruling, and that he is governing all things, moving everything to and for his own glory.

[8:05] And so we pray for that stillness and calmness in our own hearts, because so often, particularly when the storms of life bruise and batter, there is a tendency for us to question and a tendency towards anxieties and fears.

[8:24] But we pray that into the darkness we might hear the voice of the Lord saying, Be not afraid, it is I. And even, he says, be of good cheer.

[8:36] And so we pray that as we gather together at this time that we might know God's presence, God's nearness, God's help, God's guidance, God's support.

[8:46] We pray to bless all who have gathered here in this large congregation bearish testimony to the high esteem that our late dear friend Ken MacLeod was held in.

[8:59] And we give thanks, Lord, for every memory of him. And so many tributes have been given, so many expressions of goodwill, because all have an abiding memory of Ken and his contribution, not only to life, but especially his contribution to the spiritual well-being and spiritual life of so many people.

[9:25] And we pray then today that as we gather with the family, that they, above all, might be conscious of thy goodness and mercy, indwelling them, encompassing them, not only at this difficult moment in their experience, but in all that lies ahead.

[9:45] When they meet the silence of an absent husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, friend, and so many, to so many, when that energy and that vitality that characterized Ken's life is no longer with us, we pray especially for the family, that they will know the closeness and the tender care and love of the Lord.

[10:12] We pray especially for Rachel today. Put thine arm round her. And we know what a great helpmate she was to Ken. And he was the first to acknowledge that he could not have done all that he did without Rachel's love and support and prayer.

[10:30] And so we pray for her as she has been left so alone today. We pray to be to her in a way that she's never understood or known before.

[10:42] The nearness and the strength and the love of God in Christ, in her soul. Grant her grace day and night and that even in her pain she may be able to rejoice.

[10:55] It's one of the amazing things that God's people can be sorrowful yet rejoicing. Lord, may that be her experience, that she might know the joy of the Lord.

[11:06] We pray to bless the family. We ask that they might know the love of her Father in heaven. We pray, Lord, for Elizabeth and Ian and Karen. Lord, uphold them and keep them.

[11:20] We know how devoted and dedicated they were to their father and he to them. And we give thanks for these deep bonds because Ken was a real family man.

[11:32] And we pray for those who mourn the passing of a dear father-in-law. And we pray for Paul and for Donna and for Willie. Lord, that they might indeed remember all these days where as a family in the togetherness and the bonds and binding of life that they were able to rejoice and they will remember these precious happy days.

[11:57] Lord, may the days still be filled with good things for them. We pray to bless the grandchildren and be with each one of them. We pray for Sarah and for Kenneth, for Thomas, for Michael and Rachel, and for Hannah and Danny.

[12:14] Lord, watch them and keep them. We know what a special place they had in their grandfather's heart and how he prayed for them every day. May the return of prayers as his prayers bring forth great fruit to thy glory and that they may indeed all be used by thyself here in this world.

[12:35] O Lord, we pray to bless those who today mourn a dear brother and brother-in-law. We pray for Mary and for Kathleen and for Alec John.

[12:47] Bless them, we pray, as we pray for their partners in life. We pray for Angie and for Donald and for Sheena. Bless them and keep them. And we know that they who love and know the Lord, that they might come to know even more this brother born for adversity.

[13:06] We pray for those who mourn the passing of an uncle, of a cousin, those who are tied in all the different bonds of life and blood and marriage, all the entire family circle.

[13:19] We commit to thy gracious care and keeping. Bless the community of Melbos where Ken was such a shining light. And we could go through all the different areas of this island and we see so many throughout this island from all the different communities represented here because Ken touched in so many different ways.

[13:44] We could go through the different walks of life, whether it be in education, whether it be on the land with sheep, with his ability, with young people, whether it is bringing the gospel to other lands, whether it is his preaching, his teaching, his shepherding skills.

[14:02] There are so many things, but Lord, help us to realize that all the gifts ultimately come from thyself. And today, we acknowledge thy hand for good upon thy servant and the good that he brought to so many others.

[14:19] Lord, our God, we pray then to help us at this time to look to the Lord. help us to understand that God is speaking to us and that through these things his voice is clear.

[14:32] We pray for a hearing ear and an understanding heart. As we come to the word now in a moment, we pray to open our hearts to it, to respond to it, and that thou would indeed keep us each and every one.

[14:47] Bless then all gathered here today and we pray that we might know blessing in our souls, in our minds and in our bodies. Cleanse us, we pray, from all our sin.

[14:58] In Jesus' name we ask it. Amen. I'm going to read a couple of passages from God's word and these readings have a specific bearing.

[15:13] I'm going to read first of all in Isaiah chapter 53 and this, the two readings, the first one, Isaiah 53, was really one of Ken's favorite passages and I'm sure many of the young folk in Melbourne and many of the young folk in Point learned this as under Ken.

[15:37] It was one of the chapters in the Bible that he wanted people to know because it spoke of Jesus and Ken, as we all know, was such a Christ-centered man.

[15:48] So we're going to read Isaiah chapter 53 but before I do that, just in chapter 52, I'm going to read two or three verses here. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, your God reigns.

[16:11] The voice of your watchmen, they lift up their voice, together they sing for joy, for eye to eye they see the return of the Lord to Zion.

[16:22] Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem. Now Isaiah chapter 53, who has believed what they heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

[16:40] For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of a dry ground. He had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.

[16:54] He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And as one from whom men hide their faces, he was despised and we esteemed him not.

[17:07] Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities.

[17:20] Upon him was the justicement that brought his peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

[17:34] He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. Like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.

[17:47] By oppression and judgment he was taken away, and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?

[17:58] And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death. Although he had done no violence and there was no deceit in his mouth, yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him.

[18:10] He has put him to grief. When his soul makes an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his days. The will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

[18:22] Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied. By his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

[18:36] Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors.

[18:47] Yet he bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors. Our second reading comes from 2 Corinthians chapter 4. And this was a reading that Ken had the morning he died.

[19:02] In fact, he had just finished reading 2 Corinthians chapter 4 and on into chapter 5. And how appropriate these words are.

[19:13] This was his last reading. Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful underhand ways.

[19:24] We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word. But by the open statement of the truth, we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God.

[19:37] And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case, the God of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

[19:55] For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

[20:15] but we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way but not crushed, perplexed but not driven to despair, persecuted but not forsaken, struck down but not destroyed, all was carrying in the body the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.

[20:42] for we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

[20:53] So death is at work in us but life in you. Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, I believed and so I spoke.

[21:04] We also believe knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence for it is all for your sake so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving to the glory of God so we do not lose heart.

[21:28] Though our outward nature is wasting away our inner nature is being renewed day by day for this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen for the things that are seen are transient but the things that are unseen are eternal for we know that if the tent which is our earthly home is destroyed we have a building from God a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens for in this tent we groan longing to put on our heavenly dwelling if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked for while we are still in this tent we groan being burdened not that we would be unclothed but that we would be further clothed so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life he who has prepared us for this very thing is God who has given us the spirit as a guarantee so we are always of good courage we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord for we walk by faith not by sight yes we are of good courage and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord so whether we are at home or away we make it our aim to please him for we must all appear before the judgment seat of

[22:58] Christ so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body whether good or evil amen and may God bless to us these readings of his own holy word we are now going to sing in Gaelic in Psalm 107 Psalm 107 and we are going to sing at verse 28 despised and..

[23:43] The songut We'll sing two verses from verse 28.

[24:25] Satsang with Mooji Satsang with Mooji Satsang with Mooji

[25:55] Satsang with Mooji Satsang with Mooji We know that Ken's passion for the gospel extended far beyond our shores, and his great love of the gospel involved him in a very active ministry with the Slavic Gospel Association.

[27:11] So we're pleased to have with us today Director General of the Slavic Gospel Association, Roland William Smiley, and he will now lead us in prayer.

[27:21] Just before we pray, I would like to express sympathy on behalf of Slavic Gospel Association, all our team, our council, and our friends at home and abroad in the mission to Rachel and the family at this time of sad loss.

[27:40] Kenny MacLeod was greatly loved by all the workers of Slavic Gospel Association. And he was a tremendous ambassador for our ministry, and that ministry crossed cultures and borders.

[27:56] And wherever he went, he was greatly blessed and used of God. I'm just back from Serbia and I was sharing with him then about Kenny's illness and telling a group of pastors in Vellongrad of about 35 pastors who had met to study the Word of God that Kenny had taught on a few occasions.

[28:21] And to see some of those big men in tears was a very moving experience indeed. They loved Kenny MacLeod dearly in the Lord. I spoke to some friends in Belgrade as well last week and shared with them about his illness.

[28:37] And they were moved to tears and assured us that they had been praying much for him at that time and would be praying for Rachel as well and the whole family.

[28:49] And so it is a great and a sad loss, but it is heaven's gain. Let's pray together. Heavenly Father, you are a gracious and a loving God.

[29:05] We bow in your most holy presence right now to thank you that in this time of sadness and sorrow, we can turn to you and know that we can cast all our care upon you.

[29:17] For you care for us. You are a God that makes no mistakes and you do all things well. At times because we are in the flesh and we are finite and you are infinite, we cannot perceive your mysterious and wonderful ways.

[29:35] But we know that there is a day coming when we will understand and the things that are hidden from us now will then appear all clear.

[29:45] Because now we know in part, but then we shall know even as also thou art known. O God, in the midst of our sorrow, we would want to express our thanksgiving to you for every memory of Kenny MacLeod.

[30:01] We thank you for his faith in our Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord. We thank you for his ministry in this church. We thank you for his family life and we thank you for his ministry with Slavic Gospel Association in many countries in Eastern and Central Europe.

[30:20] We praise you for the many friends that he has made and how he is so fondly remembered by them and of lives that were touched as he taught the word of God, of pastors who encouraged and others encouraged to press on in their faith in the midst of adversity and spiritual battles.

[30:42] Eternal God, in the midst of our sorrow, we have great rejoicing. Rejoicing because of Kenny's faith and for him now faith has given way to sight.

[30:57] And the Savior he loved and served with all his heart. He is now in your presence where there is no more sorrow or no more crying for the former things have passed away.

[31:10] And we thank you that now he is with Christ, which is far better. And so in the midst of our sorrow, we want to give thanks.

[31:21] And Lord, we want to rejoice as well that now he can sing the song of Moses and the Lamb, of the one, the Savior he loved and served here below and enabled him to touch so many lives in these islands.

[31:38] And far beyond these shores. We thank you, Lord, for this. And we rejoice in that great fact. And although we feel and the family will feel the loss so keenly right now, we pray that you will minister to them, draw near to them, comfort them with this great assurance that though the earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolved.

[32:06] He is a building of God and house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. The earthly tent has been taken down. But we thank you he is now in his eternal home.

[32:19] What a great and joyous occasion that is for him. And so, O God, we come today. We thank you for all that you meant to him.

[32:29] We thank you for all that you were to him. And we thank you that now he knows you as you are. O God, we pray that his life and his witness will be a constant challenge and reminder to us.

[32:45] And especially to those who still do not know Kenny's Lord and Savior. May they be moved and led to saving faith in the living Christ.

[32:57] In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Our concluding singing is in Psalm 23, the 23rd Psalm.

[33:09] Again, just in the Scottish Psalter. The 23rd Psalm.

[33:25] The Lord's my shepherd, I'll not want. He makes me down to lie in pastures green. He leadeth me the quiet waters by. Down to the last verse, goodness and mercy all my life shall surely follow me.

[33:38] And in God's house forevermore my dwelling place shall be. The whole psalm, the Lord's my shepherd, I'll not want. The Lord's my shepherd, I'll not want. The Lord's my shepherd, I'll not want.

[34:00] He makes me down to lie in pastures green. He leads me down to lie in pastures green.

[34:14] He leads me down to lie in pastures green. He yields me down to lie in hopelessness green.

[34:45] A Kingostenberg Within the cost of righteousness He fought his opening savings Before I walk in death's dark hill, yet will I fear the hill?

[35:29] For thou art with me and my own, and shall be come for still.

[35:48] My dear love was furnished, in precious hope my foes.

[36:09] My head thou come with oil and oil, and my cup overflows.

[36:29] Goodness and mercy all my life, shall surely hold to thee.

[36:48] And in God's arms forevermore, my dwelling place shall be.

[37:08] Amen. And Ken certainly was that type of person.

[37:43] He had a tremendous and genuine love for people. And I think that was one of the ways that he was able to speak to people about their soul. Because people knew two things whenever they met Ken.

[37:56] One was that he genuinely cared for them. And the second thing was, which was so evident, was his great love for Christ.

[38:09] There was nothing contrived. It was genuine. It was real. And people knew that. The real deal. People knew it. And that was part of Ken's great appeal, was his genuineness, his sincerity, and his deep love for people.

[38:24] And I think that is so evident in the large crowd that has come here today as well as last night. Ken had this amazing ability to speak to people in all kinds of situations.

[38:37] And I'm sure everybody here will have a story of how Ken spoke to them. There's lots of things we could say, but time doesn't allow for that. Many things I could say, but you know the one thing, if Ken were here, do you know what I know he would be saying to me just now?

[38:54] Don't speak about me. Speak about my Savior. Because he was so Christ-centered. And if we are to leave with one message, it will be to look to the Lord Jesus, to follow the Lord Jesus, to make your peace with God in and through the Lord Jesus Christ.

[39:15] And that is the message that we want to remember today. We will go away from here. I want you all to remember, as you've come here today, to share with the family.

[39:29] Continue to remember the family. They are the ones who go home to the empty place. And as we all know, Ken was a man of great energy, great vitality. And the silence of that home will be difficult.

[39:43] Pray for them every day and every night. The last thing that I will say, and we finish with one verse from God's word, and it's this great encouraging verse.

[39:55] And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.

[40:08] We find that in the book of Daniel. After the benediction, which we'll all stand for the benediction, if you could take your seats again, resume your seats in order to allow the family to leave by the store, first of all.

[40:25] And then afterwards, the funeral procession will make its way along Kenna Street in this direction, the direction towards Scotland Street, turning up Scotland Street.

[40:37] But rather than going all to the top of Scotland Street, we'll then veer back through Lewis Street. That's the way the procession will be going. There's a bus laid on.

[40:48] If anybody isn't aware, there's a bus that's provided. And if you are wanting to go down to the cemetery but cannot get to your car, then there will be a bus just where the hush will be parked.

[40:59] There will be a bus nearby, and the bus will also take you back to town. And there are refreshments provided in the Caber Fehotel afterwards. So the family are inviting you to join with them after we come back from the cemetery, which will be sort of round about, I would imagine, round about half past three or thereabouts.

[41:19] And finally, just to remind, there is a collection being taken today, and it is to be divided between Macmillan nurses and the Slavic Gospel Association. Now may the grace, mercy, and peace of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit rest and abide upon each one of you now and forevermore.

[41:40] Amen. Amen. Amen.

[42:11] Amen.

[42:32] Thank you.

[43:02] Thank you.

[43:32] Thank you.

[44:02] Thank you.

[44:32] Thank you.

[45:02] Thank you.

[45:32] Thank you.